The Vanished Fiancé Has Returned - Chapter 4

A frown formed on his neat brow as his eyes scanned the documents. The sharp tension in the air made Gabrielle hesitate before placing the lunchbox she brought onto the mahogany desk.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? Chief Colton asked me to give you this.”

“I’m fine.”

Dominic declined without so much as a glance and flipped the page.

“He asked me to be sure to give it to you. If you’re not hungry now, you can eat it later.”

Instead of a reply, he waved toward the door. It was a dismissive gesture, as if chasing off a peddler. Gabrielle, cheeks burning, bit her lip and stepped back.

She was called in again about an hour later. When the bell rang, she rose and entered the office, where Dominic Moore sat on the couch. The lunchbox was on the table.

“Um… is something wrong?”

So he hadn’t forgotten. Relieved, she approached, and he handed her a disposable spoon.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Sorry?”

“Let’s eat together. You probably missed lunch because of me.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Gabrielle declined with a shake of her head. It wasn’t even a lunchbox for her, and it was just one serving—she couldn’t shamelessly eat with him.

“Fine, fine.”

Just as she was about to turn and leave, Gabrielle froze.

“You say that a lot, don’t you? ‘I’m fine.’ That’s not a good habit.”

“……”

“You kept saying that last time too. Even when you were staggering and about to collapse.”

She had thought that night would be left unspoken. The memory hit her like a blow to the chest, and she cleared her throat.

“About that night… I misspoke. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t bring it up for an apology.”

Dominic firmly gestured to the seat across from him.

“I’m not fine, so sit down.”

His tone left no room for refusal. Gabrielle sighed inwardly and took a seat opposite him.

The lunch was a sandwich—stuffed with ham, carrots, and egg. It was decent enough to fill an empty stomach.

Gabrielle sat quietly, watching the man eat. He seemed like someone who only dined on steak and full-course meals at fancy restaurants. Not someone who, like her, worked through lunch with a sandwich in the office.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Dominic turned his head as he bit into the sandwich.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“Sorry?”

“You were staring.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for.”

Dominic gave a small laugh and shook his head. Then his neatly kept hand reached toward Gabrielle. Frozen in place, she barely reacted as he used his index finger to brush a breadcrumb from her cheek.

“Ah.”

Whatever she had been expecting, her face flushed with embarrassment. As she fumbled in discomfort, Dominic looked at her, amused.

“You also say ‘I’m fine’ and ‘I’m sorry’ a lot.”

“If it bothers you, I’ll correct it.”

“No need. I find it amusing.”

There was a smile in his voice. Gabrielle looked at him curiously. At first, he had the face of a well-mannered pianist. Then he had looked cold and expressionless. Now, he looked like a mischievous boy.

It was like a face layered with a thousand veils. She found it fascinating that one person’s face could hold so many impressions.

“If you’ve finished, let’s go. We still have work to do.”

“Oh, right. I’ll clean this up.”

“Tell him I enjoyed it. And tell him not to send anything like this again.”

“Did you not like it?”

When she asked carefully, his answer was straightforward.

“It’s a burden.”

***

The room she had rushed to find was even older, shabbier, and darker than expected. It was located in District 7, said to have the worst security in the area.

Gabrielle followed the broker into a dark alley. The broker stopped in front of an old villa and climbed to the top floor.

Creak.

The unlubricated hinges groaned loudly as the door opened. As soon as it did, a musty smell rushed out.

“This is the only place I could get for that amount of money. I had to fight with the landlord to even get this much.”

The broker emphasized again, motioning inside. Gabrielle hesitantly looked around the house that resembled an abandoned shack. Being the top-floor unit, the ceiling was slanted, and the floor creaked loudly with every step.

“Is this… even livable? It smells weird, and I don’t see any neighbors around.”

“The neighbors work nights. That’s why you don’t see them now. You’re old enough to understand, right?”

The broker gave her a cold once-over.

“The water runs fine, and the electricity cuts out occasionally, but it’s livable. It’s not like you’re staying here forever—just save up and move out in a few months.”

“Well… I guess so.”

It was painful to realize how little money she had in hand. Normally, with what she had saved while working, she could have found a decent room in the residential area around District 5.

But every time she tried to save even a little, her mother would snatch it away without hesitation. The money she had now had only been scraped together by hiding small amounts under shoe soles or flowerpots.

“If you don’t like it, speak up now. Plenty of people besides you want to see the place.”

“Oh…”

Gabrielle clung to a last shred of hope that there might be a better room out there. But she quickly gave up.

“No, I like it. I’ll take this one.”

There was no other option. Even in such conditions, at least she would be away from the family that had drained her. Gabrielle forced herself to think positively. She had to, or she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

The move took place on a weekday evening, almost like a flight. She didn’t have much to pack, and it was the cheapest time slot. The one saving grace was that she moved a day earlier than the rest of her family. At least she wouldn’t feel the loneliness of being the last one left behind.

“Gabi!”

As Gabrielle loaded the last trunk into the car, Sabrina approached. Pretending to be affectionate, she placed a hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder and said, “You found a good place, right?”

“Do you even care?”

“What?”

“…Never mind.”

Gabrielle had lashed out reflexively but bit back her anger. Perhaps thinking she had misheard, Sabrina smiled faintly and pulled Gabrielle into a light hug.

“Make sure you eat well… and don’t get involved with any dangerous men.”

“Okay…”

Gabrielle gave a half-hearted nod and pulled away from the embrace. That her daughter was the one pushing her away seemed to surprise Sabrina, who gently stroked Gabrielle’s hair with a wistful expression.

“You don’t think I’m abandoning you, do you, Gabi?”

“……”

Feigning shock at Gabrielle’s silence, Sabrina widened her eyes and wore a wounded look.

“You’re my only blood, how could I? If it were up to me, I’d go with you.”

“Really? Then why…”

“You’ve got enough on your plate. I can’t be a burden too. It’s hard enough for the two of us to live on your salary.”

“No, I can work weekends too—”

“Most of all, I love your stepfather.”

The fleeting hope that had sparked for a moment was snuffed out.

“You know I lived a miserable life after failing my first marriage. Don’t I deserve happiness now too? Isn’t that fair?”

“……”

The same old routine. The story of how her life was ruined by having Gabrielle too young. That her very birth had been a mistake. Gabrielle had no strength left to argue. A wave of helplessness washed over her.

Seeing her daughter like that, Sabrina smiled in satisfaction and handed her a slip of paper.

“Send your living expenses here regularly, okay?”

“Whose account is this?”

“Your older brother, Chris.”

Gabrielle began to wonder if she could even call her stepfather and his daughter ‘family.’ People who didn’t even look at her on moving day. People who had eaten one meal a day with the money she earned.

“I’m really sorry. You’re becoming independent, and I’m already asking you for money.”

Before her thoughts could go deeper, Sabrina grabbed her hand tightly.

“But I have no choice. Chris said it’s hard to make a profit in the early stages of business. Just until things stabilize. Just this much, after rent and your own expenses. Okay?”

“…Fine.”

Gabrielle sighed and nodded.

One of the movers came over, lifting the last trunk from the car.

“This is the last of it, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“We’ve brought everything else up. Carry this one yourself.”

“Sorry?”

“Goodbye then.”

Before she could even reply, the mover jumped into the truck and sped off as if fleeing. Gabrielle blinked in disbelief, staring at the back of the van.

“People really don’t like coming here…”

The mover had grimaced the moment she gave the address. Now, looking around the desolate and even eerie surroundings, she understood why. Letting out a long sigh, Gabrielle struggled to lift the heavy trunk.

Climbing the stairs was an ordeal. Lack of sleep from anxiety made her dizzy. She stumbled, losing her footing without even time to cry out. Just as she braced for the pain of tumbling down the stairs—

“……?”

A large, solid hand wrapped around her waist and gently lifted her onto the landing.